The Atlas Lions of Morocco on Wednesday night breezed past Tanzania 3-0 at the Stade Laurent Pokou in their opening game of Group F at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023, www.aclsports.com reports.
The Moroccans, being the highest-ranked team in the tournament did not waste time to signal their intentions, to begin with a win as they took total dominance of the game and created all the goal-scoring opportunities.
The 2022 World Cup semifinalists eventually went in front after Hakim Ziyech’s powerful strike from a freekick was parried by Salum Manula onto the path of Roman Saiss to pounce on.
With 20 minutes left on the clock, Taifa Stars’ Novatus Miroshi was shown a second yellow card, putting an end to any slight hopes of a comeback as Walid Regragui’s Atlas Lions took absolute control of the game from thereon. Meanwhile, there was still time for them as they grabbed a second goal when Azzedine Ounahi rolled the ball into the back of the net after some neat give-and-go.
Just three minutes later, striker Youssef En Nesyri scored a third for Morocco after receiving a pass inside the penalty area from Achraf Hakimi before firing past the goalkeeper. The goal eventually stood after a VAR review.
READ ALSO: AFCON DIARY 5 – Eureka!
In the other game of the Group, two-time AFCON winners DR Congo and Zambia stay behind the Atlas Lions of Morocco as they shared the spoils, with Yoane Wissa levelling the scores after Kings Kangwa opened the scoring from distance.
The Leopards’ sweeper keeper Lionel Mpasi thought he should have been awarded a foul when he went way out of his goalline. Unfortunately for him, however, referee Bamlak Weyesa did not heed his call as he awarded Zambia a throw-in. Taken quickly by Patson Daka, Kangwa fired goalwards and the two Congolese defenders could not keep it out.
Meanwhile, Sébastien Desabre’s side were not behind for long as Cédric Bakambu was set free down the right by former Chelsea youngster Gael Kakuta, who then unselfishly rolled the ball across the six-yard box for Yoane Wissa to tap home for his fourth International goal.
It was quite open from that moment on but the Congolese, who had more clear-cut chances, could not convert and the two sides settled for a share of the spoils.
Congo will face group leaders Atlas Lions of Morocco next on match day two, while Zambia will trade tackles with bottom-of-the-group Tanzania.
